1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for performing an adaptive test and, more particularly, to technology for properly evaluating a solver in the adaptive test.
2. Description of the Related Art
A test for evaluating an ability of a solver by giving test questions with degrees of difficulty, which are adjusted to the ability of the solver, is called an adaptive test. In this adaptive test, the number of questions is not fixed since outputs of the questions continue until the evaluation values based on results of the answers converge. Therefore, a time limit for each question is set and the solver has to answer each question within its time limit.
However, if the solver has to answer each question within its time limit, there are some undesirable cases where the solver feels much pressure and cannot calm down with time in mind to answer properly. If the solver feels time pressure, an efficient evaluation, which is a characteristic of the adaptive test, becomes impossible, because an accurate measurement of ability is impossible and results of the answers do not converge.
In addition, a preliminary test as to the test questions, which will be used, in the adaptive test is performed for some tens or hundreds of persons to grasp characteristics of the test questions in advance. The preliminary test is to compute the characteristics of questions using statistical methods.
Here, what we should note is that there is no time limit for each question in the preliminary test and the solvers can consume enough time in answering questions with high degrees of difficulty. However, in the actual adaptive test, even if the question is the same as in the preliminary test that is given, the time limit is set to each question. Since the solver cannot have enough time to answer questions with high degrees of difficulty, the solver becomes susceptible to the pressure of the time limit.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide technology to reduce the pressure of the time limit, which is an obstruction to a proper evaluation of the ability, in the adaptive test to evaluate the ability of the solver.
In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide technology to reduce the pressure for persons who are sensitive to the pressure of the time limit.
A method of the present invention for performing an adaptive test by a computer comprises the steps of: prompting a solver to answer a question; acquiring and storing into a storage device, an input of an answer for the question by the solver; and if a time period the solver consumed to answer the question is shorter than the time limit for the question, performing a setting to a storage device so as to enable the solver to use a difference period between the time limit and the time period the solver consumed to answer the question and a time limit set for a next question followed by the question.
By this configuration, the difference period between the time limit and the time period the solver consumed to answer the question is added to the time limit set for the next question.Therefore, it becomes possible for the solver to adjust time allotment, for example, by answering easy questions quickly, and by applying the rest in answering difficult questions. As a result, the pressure of the time limit can be reduced.
In addition, the method may further include the steps of: performing a pressure sensitivity test (for example, an initial test to distinguish the solvers who are sensitive to the pressure in the preferred embodiment) for checking a sensitivity (for example, I evaluation (ability) value without pressurexe2x80x94evaluation value with pressure I in the preferred embodiment) of the solver to time; and judging whether or not the pressure sensitivity of the solver is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference, by the result of the pressure sensitivity test, wherein if it is judged that the pressure sensitivity of the solver is equal to or higher than the predetermined reference, above-described prompting step and steps subsequent to the prompting step may be performed.
That is, as to a person who is weak under the pressure (a person who has high pressure sensitivity), it becomes possible to add the difference period between the time limit and the time period the solver consumed to answer to the time limit set for the next question. On the other side, as to a person who is strong under the pressure (a person who has low pressure sensitivity), the adaptive test, which uses the normal time limit, is performed. Thus, it becomes easy for the person who is weak under the pressure of the time to show his or her actual ability and it becomes possible to properly evaluate his or her ability.
Even if it is configured so as to add the difference period between the time limit and the time period the solver consumed to answer to the time limit set for the next question, the fairness of the test is confirmed since the whole of the time limits is not changed if the number of questions is same (in some cases if the kinds of questions are also same).
A user terminal may execute in response to the server, following steps: displaying on a display a first question and information regarding a time limit for the first question; acquiring an answer for the first question from a solver; and if a solver answered for the first question before the time limit for the first question, displaying on the display a second question and information regarding a time period calculated by adding a time limit set for the second question to a rest of the time limit for the first question.
The user terminal may execute in response to the server, following steps: displaying on a display a first question and time that can progress from a starting time to a time limit for the first question; acquiring an answer for the first question from a solver; and if a solver answered for the first question before the time limit for the first question, displaying on the display a second question and time that can progress from a starting time to a time period calculated by adding a time limit set for the second question to a rest of the time limit for the first question.
A method for performing an adaptive test can be implemented by a combination of a program and a computer hardware, which is a computer system for performing an adaptive test. In this case, the program is stored on a storage medium, such as a floppy disk, a CD-ROM or a magneto-optical disk, or in a storage device, such as a semiconductor memory or a hard disk, while the intermediate processing results are temporarily stored in the memory. The program may be distributed via a computer network.